The Whistle and Whip as a mode of summoning in common, see "[Fisher Joe]," p. [16], ante.
Page [108]. "The Lame Woodpecker" reminds us of the lame devil in "[Stephen the Murderer]," p. [10]; in Vernaleken, there is "a limper," p. 265, and a "lame hare," p. 275, the reluctance of the birds to take the man to Johara, &c., occurs in the Finnish and Lapp stories referred to.
Page [109]. "Youth-giving water." Cf. "[The Fairies Well]," in present collection, p. [295]. In Hungary snow-water collected in March is said to possess the same virtue.
Cf. also Finnish, "Tuhkamo." S. ja T. i. p. 43, where Ashiepattle washes in a well and becomes marvellously beautiful.
Lapp, "Bæivekongen.". Friis, p. 152. Where the lad dips his sore head into a kettle and becomes beautiful and golden haired. See also Folk-Lore Record, 1879. "Old Ballad Folk-Lore," p. 100. In "The Jewel in the Cock's Head," an Italian story, quoted in the Dublin Magazine, 1868, p. 706, the hero at once becomes young and handsome by the virtues of the jewel, and in a Finnish story, "The Enchanted Ship," the same end is attained by eating some berries. Cf. the effect of the Tàtos and baa-lambs breathing on anything, pp. [63] and [92] ante; also Dasent, p. 362; and such stories as "The Old Man made Young," Grimm, vol. ii., p. 215, and note, p. 444.
There are numerous springs and wells whose waters are said to possess marvellous powers, such as St. Winifred's in Flintshire, St. Keyne's in Cornwall, St. Bede's at Jarrow, &c. See Chambers' Book of Days, sub voce "Wells"; Henderson's "Wells"; Hardwick, Traditions, Superstitions, and Folk-Lore, p. 267; and Aubrey, Remains of Gentilisme, F.L.S., 1880, pp. 121.
[THE THREE PRINCES. Erdélyi, i. 1.]
Cf. Grimm, vol. i. "The Gold Children," and note; vol. ii. "The Two Brothers," p. 244, and notes, p. 418; in "Ivan Kupiskas Søn." Friis, p. 170, a bear, a wolf, and a dog help the hero.
See also Dasent, "The Blue Belt"; and Denton, Serbian Folk-Lore, "The Three Brothers."